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Siege of Capustan
The Siege of Capustan was the assault by the Pannion Domin forces on the city of Capustan. It lasted several days, and saw the slaughter of many innocents. Defenders Capustan *Capanthall - 2,000 **Prince Jelarkan *Grey Swords - 8,200 (7,000 regulars and 1,200 Capan recruits)Memories of Ice, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.244-245 **Brukhalian - Mortal Sword **Itkovian - Shield Anvil **Karnadas - Destriant *Gidrath - 3,000Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.101 **Mask Council *Lestari Guard companiesMemories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.460/468 *Coralessian companiesMemories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.468 **Prince Arard *Gruntle - Mortal Sword of Trake *Bauchelain and Korbal Broach - necromancers with undead estate guards *Siege weapons - trebuchets,Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.470 mangonels, and ballistaeMemories of Ice, Chapter 10, US SFBC p.354 Allied Armies *Onearm's Host - 10,000Memories of Ice, Chapter 13, US SFBC p.427 **Dujek Onearm **Whiskeyjack *Bridgeburners - 37Memories of Ice, Chapter 2, US SFBC p.82 - normally 38, but Quick Ben was unconscious throughout **Ganoes Paran **Trotts *Black Moranth - Quorl transport and messaging force **Twist *Caladan Brood - 30,000 **Barghast - 3 clans (including the Ilgres)Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.455 **Rhivi nation **Saltoan Horse GuardMemories of Ice, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.208 **Tiste Andii - up to 1,100Memories of Ice, Chapter 8, US SFBC p.308 ***Anomander Rake (away with Moon's Spawn) ***Korlat **Several small mercenary companies *White Face Barghast - approximately 70,000Memories of Ice, Chapter 10, US SFBC p.356 **Humbrall Taur *Kron T'lan Imass - 14,000Memories of Ice, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.285 *T'lan Ay - 400-500 ? Memories of Ice, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.279 Pannion Domin Attackers *Pannion Domin - 80,000Memories of Ice, Chapter 10, US SFBC p.352 **Septarch Kulpath **Beklites (regular infantry) - 10 legions totalling 50,000 **Betaklites (medium infantry) **Urdomen (elite heavy infantry) - over 8,000 **Seerdomin (fanatical assassin sect) - at least several hundredMemories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.542 **Betrullid (light cavalry) - over 3 wings **Desandi (sappers and engineers) - 1 division **Scalandi (skirmishers) - at least 1 legion, each equalling 5,000 soldiersMemories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.464 *Tenescowri - over 300,000Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.481/490 **First Child Anaster *K'ell Hunters - at least 80, possibly hundredsMemories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.453 *Siege weapons - catapults, ballistaeMemories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.462 *Betaklite reinforcement regimentsMemories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.572 *Betrullid reinforcement regiments The Siege Preparations As the Pannion Domin expanded northwards conquering Maurik, Setta, and Lest, Prince Jelarkan made preparations for their inevitable appearance at Capustan. Since city law prevented him from expanding the Capanthall city garrison beyond two thousand soldiers, he contracted the Grey Sword mercenary cult to defend the city.Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.101 He also significantly drained the city treasury purchasing bows, arrows, ballistae, mangonels, and other weapons of slaughter. When the Grey Swords arrived in Capustan, they recruited from the local population expanding their forces from 7000 to 8200.Memories of Ice, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.244-245 Mortal Sword Brukhalian assumed that a breach of the walls was inevitable and planned a defence of measured, organised contraction. The city's unusual construction--open concourses surrounding self-contained tribal camps--required little effort to convert into killing grounds. Strong-points built of stone, wood, and soaked bales of hay were placed at various approaches so that any enemy caught in the open was subject to enfilading fire. Ancient fortress-like structures within the city, such as Jelarkan's Palace and the Grey Sword barracks, served as natural defensive points.Memories of Ice, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.239-242 Additionally, the Grey Swords secretly constructed tunnels that made use of the city's extensive underground barrows. These were converted into defensible shelters to hold as many as twenty thousand citizens.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.481/484 Capustan received some additional forces from cities that had already fallen to the Pannions including companies of the Lestari Guard and Prince Arard's Coralessians.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.460/468Memories of Ice, Dramatis Personae Despite Brukhalian's advice, members of the Mask Council insisted that hundreds of their Gidrath defend the redoubts outside the city's eastern and southern walls.Memories of Ice, Chapter 10, US SFBC p.362 Meanwhile, the legions of the Pannion Domin under Septarch Kulpath made their way north. First Child Anaster went to Bastion, Outlook, and other cities gathering his hordes of Tenescowri.Memories of Ice, Chapter 9, US SFBC p.344-345Memories of Ice, Chapter 12, US SFBC p.413 The Pannion Seer sent dozens, and possibly hundreds, of his undead K'ell Hunters to cut off the city from the outside world.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.453 The K'Chain Che'Malle attacked caravans and killed travellers across the Vision Plain, even attracting notice from the Barghast shamans of the Barghast Range.Memories of Ice, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.219-236 Several opportune alliances were made by the Grey Swords in secret in the final weeks before the battle. First, the Grey Swords were contacted by the newly allied forces of renegade Malazan High Fist Dujek Onearm and Warlord Caladan Brood. The mercenaries accepted their help with suspicion, but with the knowledge that the two armies were six weeks' travel away.Memories of Ice, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.243-246Memories of Ice, Chapter 10, US SFBC p.355 Also, while on patrol outside the city, several wings of Grey Sword cavalry led by Shield Anvil Itkovian came into contact with the Seer's K'ell Hunters for the first time. Only the coincidental gathering of an army of Kron T'lan Imass and T'lan Ay in the same area prevented disaster for the Shield Anvil. The T'lan Imass deemed the presence of the K'ell Hunters a danger to their gathering and were intrigued by the possibility that the Pannion Seer was a Jaghut. They offered their support against the K'ell Hunters until such time as their obligations took them elsewhere.Memories of Ice, Chapter 7, US SFBC p.251-258/285-286Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.454 While Brukhalian made outward promises of success to the Prince and the Mask Council,Memories of Ice, Chapter 10, US SFBC p.362 his true expectations may have been more pessimistic. Itkovian claimed that the Mortal Sword shared his view that their efforts were ultimately meaningless. As the Pannion hordes began making their way across the Catlin River to encircle the city, the Shield Anvil argued with the panicked prince that any attempt to flee to safety would result in their entrapment and slaughter. Their only choice was to defend the city and their nearest reinforcements were weeks away.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.455-456 First Days Septarch Kulpath's army made its way across the Caitlin River by barges and pontoon bridgesMemories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.572 and gathered in view of the city to the south and east. His original plan called for sending eighty or more K'ell Hunters against the city's North Gate. Once the creatures had broken inside they were to strike terror in the defenders through the scale of the ensuing slaughter. Then the Urdomen were to be sent against the other three gates bringing the siege to a quick conclusion by nightfall.Memories of Ice, Chapter 10, US SFBC p.465-355 But the Septarch did not account for the city's T'lan Imass allies. The Kron and T'lan Ay intercepted and destroyed the K'Chain Che'Malle, leaving Kulpath and his forces in disarray.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.467 For five days the Pannion army waited immobile and confused, giving Itkovian, who commanded the city's defences, more time to prepare. Day 1 Then the wait was over as the Pannion forces began assembling and Itkovian made his way to his command post atop the Grey Sword barracks on the southeast wall. Over a hundred catapults sent balls of fire into the city in waves from the north and west setting the city afire.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.461-462 At the same time, Beklite infantry surrounded and assailed the East Watch and South Watch redoubts.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.459 Beklites, heavily armoured Betaklites, Urdomen, Scalandi skirmishers, and Seerdomin shock troops attacked the Port Gate in the east with battering rams amidst arrow and ballista fire into the gate's towers. The gate was defended by Grey Swords, Capanthall, and Lestari, and it changed hands several times. At one point, the Scalandi made it as far as the barricades on Inside Port Street before finally being driven off by crossbow and arrow fire.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.461-467 Amidst this fighting, Stonny Menackis, who had volunteered and assumed a leadership role, had her fateful encounter with one of the Seerdomin.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.465-466 From his position on the wall, Itkovian watched as the Gidrath held against multiple Beklite assaults on the East Watch redoubt. By dusk, the Pannion siege engines were launching boulders at the redoubt's walls.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.467-468 Pannion assaults on the North and West Gates proved to be poorly executed feints.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.468 The main attacks continued on the eastern and southern walls where Desandi engineers attempted to scale ladders while the Beklites and Betaklites used battering rams on the gates. They made no attempts to protect themselves and were slaughtered in large numbers, but managed to make their way into the city. The city's layered defences proved effective as the intruders were driven back by arrow fire and the fleeing invaders were cut down by disciplined sorties.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.468 Evening 1 By nightfall the city was aflame, but the walls, gates, and redoubts still held. There was no rest for the city's defenders as Kulpath renewed the attack with fresh troops and the fiery bombardment resumed.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.468-470 Thousands of Beklites and Scalandi raised ladders on the east wall and swarmed the battlements, once again siezing the Port Gate and the square of New East Market. The city's southern Main Gate was breached by catapult fire, and Jelarkan Concourse was occupied by a legion of Betaklites. The Capanthall West Barracks went up in a massive blaze after being struck by a fiery bomb. The North Gate was breached by Urdomen and Seerdomin shock troops who invaded the Nildar Camp and slew everyone inside. Jelarkan Palace remained impervious to attack.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.473 Itkovian directed the city's response from his rooftop position. He sent Grey Sword Manes and Wings to reinforce the East Inside, West Inside, and Ne'ror Towers that controlled the exits from Jelarkan Concourse. He sent more Manes to retake the North and East Gates and to rally the Capanthall at Tular Concourse. Then he summoned one of his Trimasters to lead a sortie of Wings out to the East Watch redoubt to retrieve any Gidrath survivors.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.473-474 At this time, powerful new allies of the city made themselves known. The caravan guard captain Gruntle was so enraged by what had happened to Stonny that he awoke from his drunken despair and sought vengeance. He organised an ad hoc group of Capanthall, caravan guards, and civilians to retake the North Gate slaying all the Urdomen and Seerdomin who stood in their way.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.474-475 Then his group fought and killed the Urdomen besieging Lestari House before making their way to the occupied West Gate.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.476-478 While Gruntle was leading the resistance on the street, the merchant Keruli entered the chambers of the Mask Council at the Thrall. Clearly demonstrating the favour of K'rul, Keruli forced his way onto the Council to serve as Rath'K'rul. His first act was to reveal that one of the Council members would prove to be a traitor to the city. Then, directing the Barghast, Hetan and Cafal, he created a glowing, defensive shell around the Thrall.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.471-472/475-477 As dawn approached, Itkovian's forces had successfully retaken the North and East Gates. Mortal Sword Brukhalian took two Manes, two Wings, and 600 recruits to Jelarkan Concourse to battle over a thousand Beklites for the South Gate. At the West Gate only the arrival of Gruntle and his forces prevented calamity. Senar Camp had fallen and Jehbar Tower was besieged. Gruntle rallied the Tular Camp to his side using the bloodied tunic of a slaughtered Senar child as evidence of Pannion cruelty. Then gathering scattered squads of Grey Swords, Capanthall, Gidrath, and Coralessians he had marched to the relief of Jebhar Tower.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.478-480 By now, Itkovian's Trimaster returned reporting that he had successfully retrieved the surviving Gidrath from the East Watch redoubt. But he also warned that the Tenescowri were finally on the move. The Shield Anvil ordered the tunnels below the city opened and the citizens evacuated to them.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.481 Day 2 As the sun rose, Gruntle and his fighters just outside the West Gate dispatched a company of Beklites sent to reinforce the ones already slain inside. Five hundred more Beklites flanked by Urdomen and Betrullid marshalled nearby masking the arrival of thousands of Tenescowri. Gruntle pulled back inside as masons and labourers worked to repair the gate. A representative of the Grey Swords arrived to offer Gruntle and his troops official sanction and supplies. Then the former caravan guard took his rag-tag militia back to his tenement on Old Daru Street to make their stand there. A late arriving Itkovian was stunned to see in Gruntle the power of Treach, Tiger of Summer. It was a sign that Fener, the Grey Sword patron, was descending and the Shield Anvil's hopes fell with him.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.482-486 The necromancers, Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, successfully defended their estate in the centre of the city from Urdomen then used the battle's casualties to form their own guard of the undead. Afterwards they took crow form to fly over the city, now completely ringed by a thick band of over 300,000 Tenescowri. The necromancers attacked the peasant hordes surrounding their master Anaster in the east with magic and summoned demons, but were rebuffed by sorcery.Memories of Ice, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.486-492 The Tenescowri swarmed every wall breaking through the gates and flooding the city. A raving mob soon surrounded Itkovian and three Manes of Grey Swords outside their barracks. The Shield Anvil was dragged down from his warhorse and severely wounded before Brukhalian and Karnadas led a force to his rescue. But the Grey Swords were nearly eliminated as an organised force and the Destriant gave his life pulling Itkovian back from the brink of death.Memories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.530-535/539/546-547 At Gruntle's tenement, a human tide swept through the bottom floors forcing the defenders upwards. The halls and rooms of the building were packed chest high with the enemy dead. Stonny fought along side Gruntle's second-in-command, a former Lestari sergeant. Treach's influence manifested as blackened stripes across Gruntle's face and preternatural fighting skills. As he and his soldiers retreated further up towards the roof, the Lestari identified Gruntle as Trake's Mortal Sword.Memories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.536-538 As the city succumbed to the inevitable Brukhalian received word from Rath'Fener at the Thrall. The priest invoked Fener's Reve to summon the Mortal Sword and the Grey Swords to his aid. To Brukhalian, the request was a clear act of betrayal luring the last of the Grey Swords to their doom. But the words of the Reve were to be obeyed and vengeance would have to be left to Itkovian. Outside the Thrall, the Mortal Swords's force of 400 was met by Septarch Kulpath and five thousand of his elite. Itkovian, still hovering near death, saw their fall in a vision and declared that Rath'Fener the betrayer would be his.Memories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.539-544 At Bauchelain's estate the Tenescowri hordes and a company of Beklites were no match for the necromancers' sorcery and undead guardians. Those attackers who did not join Korbal Broach's army filled the compound's courtyard in ankle-deep ash.Memories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.544-545 The City Falls Evening 2 By nightfall, rain fell over a city of gutted buildings and smoldering ruins. The Tenescowri feasted on human flesh roasted over huge bonfires. Squads of Pannion soldiers, unaware of the Grey Sword tunnels, angrily searched for the city's residents. Gruntle's tenement was surrounded on all sides well above ground level by piles of enemy corpses.Memories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.544-546 Itkovian awoke to find that he was the last of the Grey Sword commanders. Only 137 Grey Swords remained, of whom 96 were Capan recruits. The Grey Sword barracks were burned and no one knew the fate of Jelarkan and his palace.Memories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.546-547 While the enemy chiefly surrounded the Thrall, the Shield Anvil organised an expedition to scout the palace in force. There they found Anaster and his Tenescowri occupying the main hall feasting on the cooked remains of Jelarkan and his guards. The Prince's skin hung from pikes near his throne. Itkovian confronted the First Child, startling and enraging him by claiming to sense his despair. Itkovian's offer to take that despair upon himself to unburden Anaster broke the First Child who ordered his hidden Seerdomin to attack and escaped weeping. The Grey Swords cut down the remaining Tenescowri and forty Seerdomin to take the palace.Memories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.549-554 Afterwards, Itkovian ordered Jelarkan's skin to be sewn back onto his body which was then placed upon his throne.Memories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.554Memories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.585 Brukhalian had asked Itkovian to hold the city for six weeks, but the Shield Anvil had given him less than three days.Memories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.550 The Tide Turns At the beginning of the Malazan march towards Capustan, Whiskeyjack sent Ganoes Paran and the Bridgeburners to the Barghast Range to secure an alliance with the White Face Barghast. After Trotts successfully defeated the Barghast champion in combat and Quick Ben informed the clans that the spirts of their ancestors were imprisoned under the city, war chief Humbrall Taur joined their cause.Memories of Ice, Chapter 12 Approximately 70,000 Barghast marched south with the Bridgeburners. At night from a league away, they could see the city burning, and Barghast scouts reported that the siege was over.Memories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.559 Captain Paran and Trotts were eager to take vengeance and led the Bridgeburners to the North Gate. They used Moranth munitions to punch their way through 200 Betaklites outside the gate. But to their shock, what they took to be piles of Pannion dead along the wall were revealed to be over a thousand sleeping Tenescowri. Cussers and Sharpers cleared the way for the Bridgeburners to enter the city.Memories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.560-566 From the gate they made their way towards the still glowing Thrall. In the Daru District they came upon a tenement surrounded by over ten thousand corpses which formed a siege ramp almost to the building's roof. There they met Gruntle and his last twelve remaining soldiers. All but Stonny now featured the striped skin identical to their leader. The Bridgeburner healer Mallet used magic to save the mortally wounded Stonny's life.Memories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.566-572 Meanwhile, Taur sent the Barahn and Ahkrata clans to the southeast to seize the enemy's brudges, barges, and landing points on the Catlin River. The Senan and Gilk clans made for the city while the rest were to capture the Septarch's main supply camp between the city and the river.Memories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.560 At the river landings, the Barahn and Ahkrata clashed with newly arrived Betaklite and Betrullid reinforcements. The Pannions broke and slaughtered the Barahn, but Gilk reinforcements enabled the Ahkrata to drive their enemies into the shore and nearby marshlands. The Pannion reinforcements were annihilated.Memories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.572 The Pannion camps soon fell as well and were picked over and looted for spoils.Memories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.583 Taur's own Senan clan entered the city sending tens of thousands of Tenescowri into a panicked rout which disorganised the remaining units of Pannion soldiers. While a flood of humanity made its way to the city's southern and western gates, units of Beklites, Urdomen, and Seerdomin formed a ragged rearguard. One Seerdomin's troops held Jelarkan's Concourse while other fled through the South Gate.Memories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.572-573/584 Two leagues west of the city, Dujek and Brood's forces arrived in time to strike the Pannions fleeing the city. The Malazan Heavy infantry, Marines, and Heavy cavalry working in disciplined concert eliminated a division of Pannion Betaklites. Companies of Beklites, Scalandi, and Desandi were also defeated. At the same time, the Tiste Andii nullified the Pannion Mage cadre while the Ilgres Barghast and Rhivi skirmishers broke the Urdomen and Seerdomin. In the chaos, Septarch Kulpath was killed by a well-aimed Rhivi slingstone.Memories of Ice, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.610-612 The Pannion army was irretrievably broken and the siege was over. Aftermath Itkovian watched the Pannion's change in fortune from Jelarakan's Palace which he had defended from assault for four days since driving the Tenescowri out. Once the streets were clear he and his 112 remaining Grey Swords made their way towards the Thrall escorted by Barghast warriors. The buildings of the Daru District were almost completely burned or collapsed except for Gruntle's tenement which nearly buckled under the weight of the Pannion corpses inside.Memories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.583-588 Arriving at the plaza where Brukhalian had died outside the Thrall, they were greeted by Humbrall Taur, Gruntle, Ganoes Paran, and the Bridgeburners. Keruli and the Mask Council soon joined them from the Thrall, its protective glow now faded away. Itkovian ordered Rath'Fener seized, and charged him with betraying Fener and the Grey Swords. He invoked the Reve and delivered Fener's judgement by cutting off the priest's hands. Then the Shield Anvil, knowing that the fallen Fener no longer awaited in his realm, took Rath'Fener's pain upon himself to free his soul to Hood. Itkovian's embrace then expanded to include all of the dead of Capustan, releasing them to Hood's Gate and cleansing the city of their pain.Memories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.588-598Memories of Ice, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.635 While the Barghast dug mass graves north of the city for the dead, twenty-thousand non-combatants were released from their underground refuges.Memories of Ice, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.613/615 Approximately two hundred thousand demoralised Tenescowri huddled a league and a half west of the city, but Whiskeyjack refused to send his troops to slaughter them en masse. He argued that the starving peasants were victims of the Pannion Seer. Only Anaster and the Pannion officers would face Malazan military justice if captured.Memories of Ice, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.612/616 The Mask Council eventually coronated Prince Arard as the city's new ruler.Memories of Ice, Chapter 24, US SFBC p.861 Casualties *BrukhalianMemories of Ice, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.542-544 *Farakalian *Grey Sword Trimaster (presumed dead) *JelarkanMemories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.552 *KarnadasMemories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.547 *KulpathMemories of Ice, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.612 *Nakalian (presumed dead) *Nilbanas *Rath'FenerMemories of Ice, Chapter 17, US SFBC p.598 *Sidlis *TorunMemories of Ice, Chapter 20, US SFBC p.783-784 Notes and references de:Belagerung von Capustan Category:Battles